Werewolf's Child
by Aeronnen
Summary: Written for The Hideaway: Tonks has just told her parents about her prenancy, and they are none too pleased that she is going to have a werewolf's child ...


This is for the Quill Contest on the Hideaway. It's not very good, I just need the link!

Werewolf's Child.

"Nymphadora Tonks! How _could _you? It's bad enough you have to go and marry him but –"

Nymphadora had two bright spots on her pale cheeks and her fists were clenched tightly as she glared at her black-haired mother.

"Mum, how can you _say_ that? This is the best thing that has ever happened to me! Can't you just be happy for me? For _us_?"

"Nymphadora, didn't you think about this?" Andromeda said with fierce despair. Her daughter frowned.

"We didn't think about, mum, it was just natural. Don't you know how happy I am? I thought marrying Remus was the best thing I had ever done, but now ...!"! She drew a breath. "Now I'm going to have his child! Our child!"

Andromeda stepped closer. "Don't you realise what the baby will be? A half werewolf, Nym! A werewolf with magic and magical parents. It'll be shunned and despised for the rest of its life – and what about if You-Know-Who wins? He'll be made a slave, they're already after you just for marrying Lupin!"

The colour in Nymphadora's cheeks drained away. "Is that what you really think? That I'd let my child become a slave? Me and Remus both are fighting for the Order, we're trying to make sure that his future will be _free_ of Vol –"

"_Don't say the name!"_

"_You-Know-Who_, then," she said impatiently and with a roll of her brown eyes. "Mum, Remus and Kingsley and Arthur and even old Xenophilius are fighting him. Can't you respect that?"

"I find it hard to trust any of your decisions any more, Nymphadora, after you made the huge blunder of marrying Remus Lupin, a werewolf!"said Andromeda bitingly.

"So you don't trust me," Tonks said in a choked voice. "You ran away from your family to marry the man you loved, but when _I_ marry the one _I_ love without running away from any one, you despise me. You're just like everyone else. Biased and ignorant."

"Nym – " began her mum in a pacifying voice, but Tonks was furious.

"I will not be treated like this!" For a moment her haughty tones much resembled the rest of the Black family. "Not in my parents' own home! If Remus is not welcomed here, then neither am I – nor my child." Nymphadora stalked from the kitchen, pink head held high. Andromeda hurried after her.

"Nymphadora, calm down, don't be so stubborn, let's talk –"

"No, mum." Tonks turned at the gate of the neat garden and stared at her mother. "I love Remus – and he loves me. We are gong to have a child together, and there is nothing you can do about it. And we're going to keep fighting, so that one day, our baby will be able to live in a world where no one will hater him for who he is. I wish you would as well, mum."

She turned on the spot and Disapparated, leaving her mother standing at the gate, an anguished look on her proud face.

--

Tonks stumbled into the small flat that she shared with her husband, collapsing on the couch amid her tears. Remus appeared from the kitchen, holding the teapot.

"Do you want some tea, because – Oh." He saw his wife weeping on the low sofa and hastened to her side, Banishing the teapot. "Were they ...?"

"My mum is the most insensitive being on this planet," she replied, her voice muffled against the sofa. "She accused us of being irresponsible and she said – she said –" some stormy sobs followed. "She said that because I had married you I had made that baby a ... a ..." she didn't finish, but Remus could guess what Andromeda had said and his arms tightened around his wife.

"I'm sorry, Dora," he said, kissing her head and smoothing down the now brown hair gently. "They'll come around – they love you."

"But what about the baby?" she sobbed. "What if they hate it and won't look after him. And what if we die? He'll be all alone ..."

"Oh, Dora ..." Remus hugged her, tighter and tighter, trying to tell her how he ached for her, for them, for their unborn child. "I love you so much. And as long as there is breath in me, and as long as the Order still stands, I swear on _everything_ that I will fight for him and for you. We won't let Him win."

Tonks sat up, tears flowing freely still. "I know you will, Remus. But what if we both die doing that? And what if my mum still won't ..." she trailed off sadly.

"Your mum loves you. And she is a sensible person who knows what's best. She would never let her Grandchild alone. She'll look after him."

"I hope so." Tonks wrapped her arms about his neck, exhausted after all that emotion. "But don't you ever leave me, Remus. I couldn't stand that."

Remus said nothing; but on his lined, troubled face, a look of despair was forming.

--

"Dora, I can't stay with you. I'm endangering yours and the baby's life and I just can't let that happen."

"What?" said Tonks in disbelief. "You're leaving me? You're _leaving me_?!"

Remus stared around the small flat that they shared. They were standing in the living room and facing each other over a small coffee table. "I can't put you in danger. I'm sorry."

"_In danger_!" Tonks screeched. "'In danger', he says! But we're all fighting Him! We're _all _in danger, Remus! Can't you see that?!"

"But you're still more at risk –"

"I would say that the damage is done, wouldn't you?" she hissed. "I've married you, I'm wearing the ring you gave me. And I'm carrying your child! Don you want me to tell our baby that he doesn't know because you left because you were coward? Do you have that little pride?!"

Remus flinched. "I won't you both in danger. I love you too much."

"And this is your idea of _safety_?" she said incredulously. "Leaving us to fend for ourselves?!

"You're not by yourself, you've got your parents," Remus muttered.

"Oh, wonderful! You're so considerate!" she shrieked. "You're just going to walk out there and turn your back?!"

"No, of course not. I'll still be looking out for you, but just not ... here."

"Great! Perfect! That's really reassuring!" Tonks looked completely out of control. "You'll be looking out for us! That's all my problems solved, isn't it!!"

"I've got to go," Remus murmured, turning to go, holding his tattered suitcase. "I'm sorry."

"How ... _dare_ ... you ...!" Tonks stared as Remus opened the door and disappeared down the stairs without so much as a backward glance. Nymphadora Tonks stared as her husband left her ... for the second time in their relationship.

--

"I told you he was no good!" Andromeda said with grim satisfaction. "You can't trust them sort o people, shifty, useless the lot of them. You're better off without him, Nymph, take my advice."

Nymphadora grunted, staring out at the frosty garden, holding a glass of mulled wine over her bloated belly. Her father, round-bellied Ted, shoved Andromeda in the ribs.

"Shush, Dromeda. Can't you see she's hurting?"

Andromeda gave him a cursory glance, but turned back to labelling the presents under the tree. Ted went back to his newspaper (Muggle, as always) and Tonks continued staring out of the window. Her baby was to be born in two months and she had not seen Remus at all. He didn't care any more, she knew – her mother was right. Useless, of course ...

No, not Remus. Whatever else he was, he was not useless, not a liar, not a cheat. She had no doubt that he had meant good when he left; but the pain never lessened, no matter how the days passed.

A bang came on the wards and everyone jumped.

"Death Eaters?" Andromeda mouthed silently. Ted shrugged, his wide forehead creased.

"Who is it?" He called. They all levelled their wand at the door, faces grimly determined.

"It is I, Remus John Lupin, werewolf and husband of Nymphadora Tonks, no matter how undeserving of her I am!"

It was unmistakeably Remus. Tonks shrieked, hastening to the door, already undoing the wards. She pulled open the door, afraid but eager at what she would see.

"Nymphadora?"

He was standing, battered, scarred and hesitant. But he was still the Remus she loved. Without a word, she moved forward, reaching out her trembling hands.

He caught them; and at the touch of skin, a flare of life ran along their bodies, and before she knew anything else, she was back in his arms, safe and sound, back with the one she loved. And Andromeda was standing by suspiciously, and Ted was beaming; and Remus was – was he really – he was crying! He was!

"I love you." Though her voice was clouded by emotion, it was steady. Remus stroked her forehead.

"I know. I love you, too. So much." He pulled her tight to his chest again. "And I'm so sorry."

She sniffed and buried her head in his coats jacket. "Me too."

"You've got nothing to apologise for," he whispered. "I love you, Nymphadora Tonks."

"No, you don't," she said abruptly. Remus stiffened.

""You love Nymphadora _Lupin!"_

--

I know - not great, I'm just posting because I need the link! And when I got the middle I was along the lines of hating every male over thirty, from personal experience, so please excuse Remus's behaviour. Thanks for reading!


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